1. Technical Field
This invention relates to shaving devices in general, and to shaving devices having a pivotally attached cartridge in particular.
2. Background Information.
Modern safety razors include a plurality of blades disposed within a cartridge that is mounted on a handle. Some safety razors have a disposable cartridge for use with a reusable handle, while others have a handle and cartridge that are combined into a unitary disposable. Although a variety of razor cartridge configurations exist, most include a frame made of a rigid plastic and a plurality of razor blades mounted in the frame. The frame includes a seat portion and a cap portion, and the blades are disposed between the cap and the seat. The cartridge further includes a guard disposed forward of the blades and a cap is disposed aft of the blades. The guard and the cap orient the position of the person""s skin relative to the blades to optimize the shaving action of the blade. The terms xe2x80x9cforwardxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9caftxe2x80x9d, as used herein, define relative position between features of the razor. A feature xe2x80x9cforwardxe2x80x9d of the razor blades, for example, is positioned so that the surface to be shaved encounters the feature before it encounters the razor blades, if the razor assembly is being stroked in its intended cutting direction (e.g., the guard is forward of the razor blades). A feature xe2x80x9caftxe2x80x9d of the razor blades is positioned so that the surface to be shaved encounters the feature after it encounters the razor blades, if the razor assembly is being stroked in its intended cutting direction (e.g., the cap is disposed aft of the razor blades).
The comfort and performance provided by a particular razor are critical to the commercial success of the razor. Improvements that benefit razor comfort, performance, and ease of use, however significant or subtle, can have a decided impact on the commercial success of a razor. A razor guard that can draw the user""s skin taut is an example of a feature that directly affects the comfort and performance of the razor. The attachment mechanism between a replaceable cartridge and the handle of the razor is an example of a feature that can significantly affect the razor""s ease of use. Presently available razor cartridge attachment mechanisms typically employ a plurality of small features (e.g., tabs, posts, etc.) to attach the cartridge to the handle. In many instances, the small attachment features increase the difficulty of attaching the handle and cartridge to one another. This is particularly true when it is not apparent how the small features attach the cartridge to the handle. The small features also often make the razor components difficult to manufacture, susceptible to mechanical problems (e.g., misalignment, failure, etc.), and expensive to manufacture. Because most presently available razor attachment mechanisms are complex, they are typically disposed in the reusable handle. If the cartridge attachment mechanism fails in the handle, the user is left stranded. Additional cartridges will not solve the problem. The user must change razors, assuming an alternative razor is available.
What is needed, therefore, is a razor assembly that facilitates the function of the guard, one that has a cartridge pivotally attached to a handle, one that can utilize a replaceable cartridge that can be easily loaded and unloaded, and one that provides desirable comfort and performance.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a razor that provides improved performance relative to existing razors, and one that is more comfortable to use than existing razors.
According to the present invention, a razor assembly is provided that includes a cartridge, a handle, and a pivot member. The cartridge includes a frame, one or more razor blades, and a guard. As will be described herein in detail, some embodiments of the present invention utilize a cartridge that is not intended to be separated from the handle for replacement purposes, and in other embodiments the cartridge is replaceable and the handle reusable. The guard and the one or more razor blades are attached to the frame. Each of the one or more razor blades includes a cutting edge, and the cutting edges of the one or more razor blades are positioned contiguous with a shave plane. The pivot member has an exterior contact surface that extends along the length of the pivot member. The pivot member is positioned between the guard and the one or more razor blades of the cartridge. At least a portion of the exterior surface of the pivot member is disposed adjacent the shave plane. The pivot member is preferably rigid and fixedly attached to the handle, and the cartridge is preferably pivotally mounted relative to the pivot member. In some embodiments, the cartridge is selectively detachable from the pivot member, and in other embodiments the pivot member and cartridge are selectively detachable from the handle.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pivot member functions as a manifold for dispensing one or more shaving aids along the portion of the pivot member disposed adjacent the shave plane.
Several advantages are provided by the cartridge, the handle, and the pivot member of the present invention. For example, the size and the position of the pivot member within the cartridge enable the guard and the one or more razor blades to pivot about the pivot member, on opposite sides of the pivot member. As a result, force applied to the blades during use causes the guard to rotate toward, and apply force against, the user""s skin thereby increasing the ability of the guard to engage the user""s skin. The position of the pivot member surface between the guard and the one or more razor blades also facilitates the engagement of the user""s skin by providing a surface over which the user""s skin can be drawn taut.
Another advantage provided by the present invention razor assembly is easy loading and unloading of the razor cartridge. The substantially rigid pivot member enables the user to easily determine how the cartridge is loaded and unloaded from the handle. A person who has used existing replaceable razor cartridges will recognize that it is very often less than clear how the cartridge and handle attach to one another, particularly when attachment is accomplished via a plurality of small features. The substantially rigid pivot member attached to the handle and the one or more clip members attached to the replaceable cartridge, in contrast, make it quite clear how the cartridge is attached to the handle.
In the embodiment where the cartridge is replaceable, the size (e.g., diameter and length) and rigidity of the pivot member help to provide a connection between the handle and the replaceable cartridge that favorably supports the replaceable cartridge along its length, thereby eliminating the undesirable deflection that can be a characteristic of the small attachment features used in many presently available products.
Another advantage of the present invention is ability of the pivot member to function as a manifold for dispensing a shaving aid. Dispensing a shaving aid between the guard and the one or more razor blades ensures that the shaving aid will not be removed by the guard. Dispensing a shaving aid over the skin drawn taut by the guard forward of the one or more razor blades also facilitates a uniform application of the shaving aid.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in light of the detailed description of the present invention.